September 7 (BTA) -  WWF Bulgaria is launching a campaign
 that promotes the demand for forest products labeled FSC
(Forest Stewardship Council), the organization said.  

The FSC's international label ensures that the wood products
concerned are not the result of an exploitative, but rather a
socially and environmentally oriented forestry. The extraction
of wood from FSC-certified forests preserves the environment,
the diversity of flora and fauna, and also respects the rights
of the local population. Only wood and paper products whose
production is certified according to the strict principles of
the FSC can bear its label. Compliance with this rule is
verified by independent experts.  

Currently, 228 million hectares of forest areas are
FSC-certified worldwide, and the requirements of the standard
are met by nearly 49,000 companies.  FSC is the world's first
independent labeling system for forest products. It is supported
 by environmental organizations, forest owners, the timber and
wood processing industry, branch organizations and others.   

Today, more than 2,300,000 ha or 55 per cent of Bulgaria's
forests are FSC-certified, said Nelly Dontcheva, chief forestry
expert at WWF. Nearly 450 companies in the wood processing
industry meet the requirements of the certificate. And since
August 2017, a national standard for forest certification under
FSC has been applied everywhere in all forests in Bulgaria, the
expert noted.

LG/MT

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/МТ/